Netflix will scrap nearly all of its interactive titles by December 1 except four: Black Mirror: Bandersnatch; Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend; Ranveer vs. Wild with Bear Grylls; and You vs. Wild. The surprise (confirmed to The Verge) marks a radical change in the streaming giant's content strategy.
Netflix has interactivity options where viewers make choices in the story and a combination of storytelling and gameplay. However, spokesperson Chrissy Kelleher said that although the technology was innovative, it's now "limiting" as the company focuses on other pursuits.
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Netflix's decision to not to create new interactive content was revealed by the former gaming head, Mike Verdu in an interview with Game File.
Why is Netflix moving away from interactive content?
Interactive shows like Bandersnatch garnered buzz, especially since they are the "choose your adventure" type with unique experiences. However, its list of followers remained relatively small.
Interactive content "wasn't a hit" as expected, wrote The Verge; perhaps the format was not engaging enough. Besides, interactive programming would incur huge production costs and technical resources, too.
Further, industry observers argue that while interactive content has been an exciting novelty, it demanded a heavier lift from technology than necessary for a scenario where the need was to streamline and target resources toward more general entertainment activities.
Verdu has said that Netflix is now more focused than ever on growing its catalog of games, especially mobile. Mobile games may potentially allow for wider reach and monetization.
How does removing interactive content affect Netflix’s gaming and content creation?
Netflix is moving away from interactive programming toward more traditional gaming, an area in which the company has already begun to make some strides. Its growing catalog of mobile games, based on popular series like Stranger Things and Too Hot to Handle, shows that Netflix is positioning itself in the casual gaming space to engage viewers between episodes or series.
The company has furthered its beta testing on game streaming services, which might allow it to bring AAA-quality games to subscribers sometime in the future.
By focusing its investments on mobile and cloud-based gaming, Netflix seems to target a broader entertainment ecosystem. The strategic repositioning vibes with Kelleher's comments that the company is putting its technological investments in places that will have a better chance of connecting with audiences.
But a few fans of the interactive format feel betrayed by this shift. On Reddit, fans expressed dissatisfaction at the impending loss of titles like Minecraft: Story Mode. One commenter complained:
“This is actually quite tragic. There is no other way to consume this media… it’s going to be lost to history.”
Despite the mixed reaction from the subscribers, pulling the interactive content is a step towards long-term scalability. Investment by the company in mobile and streaming games implies its focus on deeper engagement through more available, casual game formats.
That way, this might end by helping make Netflix a permanent player in the game sector while being more appealing to the streamers but opening doors to new subscribers to eventually gain an interest in it after these games that could easily fill their packs with free additionals.
The remaining interactive titles will still be available.
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